Traditionally, hook-and-loop fasteners comprise two mating components that releasably engage with one another, thus allowing coupling and decoupling of the two surfaces or objects. The male fastener portion typically includes a substrate having fastener elements, such as hooks, extending from the substrate. The fastener elements stand discretely from a surface of the substrate, and are referred to as “loop-engageable” in that they are configured to releasably engage with fibers of the mating component.
Originally, hook touch fasteners were formed by weaving methods. Many modern hook fasteners are formed by molding processes in which the fastener stems and a connecting sheet of resin are formed together, such as on a rotating mold roll. In another known method, a sheet of resin is cast or extruded to have profiled rails that are subsequently cut and the sheet stretched to separate rail segments to form discrete fasteners. Such a method is sometimes referred to as a ‘cut and stretch’ method. Other known methods involve screen printing.
While some male fastener elements are designed to engage loops or fibers of a female fastening product, others are designed to engage with other male fastener elements in an interlocking closure.